Hose-coupling.



J. H. STEPHENS. HOSE COUPLING. APPLIaATIoN FILED DB0. 2, 1908. BENEWED m10. 14, 1909.

6495790 Patented July 19, 1.910.

JOHN HALL STEPHENS, OF VERNON, TEXAS.`

HOSE-COUPLING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HALL STEPHENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vernon, in the countl of Vilbarger and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hose-Couplings, of which the following is a speciiication.

This 'invention relates to hose couplin s.

ln hose couplings now in common use t e flexible tubing is frequently weakened, if not damaged beyond re air, by the expansion of rings, sleeves, thimbles and the like against the interior of the tubing,vand this defect is generally the result of expanding cylindrical rings and the like as much at their outer as at their inner ends. Moreover, considerable force ,is necessary to expand a cylindrical shaped ring in order that it may have the proper clamping eifect upon the tubing to prevent accidental withdrawal of the latter from the coupling incident to a straight or longitudinal pulling action upon the tube, resulting either from heavy pressure or frequent or rough handling ofthe hose. Furthermore, by virtue of heavy pressure or rough handling of the hose, the latter becomes weakened at the ends of the coupling incident to frictional or other engagement with the sharp-edged mouths of the coupling, causing leakage in a comparatively short time. 4

vIt is therefore one object of my invention to provide a hose coupling Whose parts are constructed and arranged to spread the'inner ends of the hose sections and at their inner ends force the clamping thimbles into engagement therewith to a greater extent than the thimbles are forced into engagement with the hose sections at the mouths of the coupling and thereby anchor the hose sections in the end of the coupling against accidental longitudinal or a twisting withdrawal from the coupling.

Another `object of the invention is to provide a hose coupling embodying among other characteristics a male and a female member, each provided with a removable clamping thimble for clamping the hose sec tions in the coupling, in combination with a coupling sleeve which has a swiveled engagement with one of said members and which also has swiveled engagement with the thiinble disposed within the member with which the coupling sleeve has swiveled Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 2, 1908, Serial No. 465,600. Renewed December 14,' 1909.

engagement, whereby the coupling sleeve sei Patented July is, ieio.

Serial No. 533,116.

cures not only the male and female members together, but also secures the tliimble with which it has swiveled connection against longitudinal movement out of itsinclosing member, thereby insuring a positive connection between one of the main members of the coupling, the coupling sleeve and one of the thimbles, consequently effectually holding the corresponding hose sections against withdrawal from the coupling when the thimble is expanded, and also preventing displacement of said thimble from the coupling prior to the insertion of the hose sec- 1 tion.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a hose coupling comprising in its organization of elements means whereby .the inner ends of the hose sections may be spread considerably without placing undue strain upon the hose sections at the outer ends of the coupling so that the hose sections are anchored firmly at their extreme inner ends within the rbody of the coupling and at points where any undue strain thereupon which would even tear the fibers thereof incident to great force in expanding the hose sections, would not cause leakage as would be the case if the hose sections were subjected to as much strain at the extreme ends of the coupling as at points within the coupling, whereby I am enabled to elfectually anchor the hose sections even to the extent of tearing the fibers thereof without a consequent leaking of the hose.

With the above and other objects in View, the present invention consists in the combination and arranffement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, 'it being understood that changes ma lbe made in the forni, proportion, size an minor details without departing from the spirit or sacrificiiig vention.

In `the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of the coupling prior to a complete assembling thereof. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section View of the hose and coupling assembled.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanyingv drawings, the reference charaeter l indicates the body of the male member, whose inner end is reduced` to providev a shoulder 2, the-reduced portion being screw threaded, as indicated at 3. The in# terior of the male coupling member is hollow with its outer internal portion tapered, as at 4, and of greater diameter than at its inner internal port-ion to provide an annular shoulder 5 against which the inner end s of the hose section 6 is preferably disposed,

the outer end of the male coupling at the edge of its largerl internal portion being ff preferably rounded, as indicated at 7, to

Y ternally, as shown, and provided with concentric ribs 9 adapted to en al e the interior of the hose section 6 to bin the latter between said thimble and the tapering intermal-portion 4 of the male member 1, when said thimble is expanded. It Will be seen that the tapering internal portion 4 is provided with the concentric ribs 4 for the same purpose as that for which the ribs 9 of the thimble 8 are designed, except that the ribs 4 engage the outer surface of the hose section. j

By virtue ofthe tapered clamping surfaces of the male member 1 and the thimble or flared outwardly, thereby firmly anchor- -ing the hose section at its extreme inner end and overcoming the possibility of a lateral, twisting, straight or longitudinal pulling action upon the hose incident to pressure or otherwise from pulling the hose section out of its anchored position.

Any suitable expanding tool (not shown) may be used to expand the thimble 8, but it will be understood that the thickened or shouldered inner end of the thimble is expanded to a lesser extent than the thinner outer end of the thimble. vIt will be noted that the outer 'end vof the thimble is quite thin, as compared with the inner end thereof, and said method of expanding the thim- .ble is followed for the purpose of placing most of the strain upon the hose at its extreme inner end rather than at the rounded outer end of the male member, so that the texture of the hose Will not be strained or torn and thereby weakened at the mouth of the male member, and for the further purpose of preventing weakening of the hose at a point where it would be quickly subject vto leakage incident to heavy pressure or handling 'of the hose. As a matter of fact, the fibers of the hose adjacent the inner pulled out of position between the maley member and the thimble. The same method oflexpanding the thimble of the female member l0, hereinafter described, is em# ployed for the same purposes.

-The female coupling member includes a body portion 10 which is hollow and which has its interior tapering from its inner to its outer end Withthe outer end thereof rounded, as indicatedV at 11, to obviate a sharp edge for the same reasons as stated in connection with the male member. The said body portion of the female member has an annular groove 12 formed in its exterior for a purpose presently explained. The female member also includes a coupling sleeve or nut 13 whichiis designed to couple the male and female members together, and this sleeve has its internal portion screw threaded, as at 14, for copera-tion with the screw'threads 3 of the male member 1. The sleeve also has an annular shoulder 15 against which is disposed a gasket 16 adapted to bear. against the inner end of the male member 1 when the male and female members are coupled in coperative relation for the purpose of preventing leakage and also to form a -yieldable connection between the abutting ends of thevmale and female mem'- bers. This sleeve 11 is also provided with spaced annular shoulders 17 and 18, the

shoulder 17 assuming the position shown in Fig. 1 priorto its contraction into the annular groove 12 of the body portion 10 of the Fig. 2.

The annular shoulder 17 of the coupling female coupling member 10, as. shown in,

der '18 of the sleeve 13. This thimble 20 is inserted into the female member lO'after the latter is rotatively connected to the hose section 21 is disposed in the body portion of the female member prior to the insertion of the thimble 20. After position'- ing the hose section 21 as just stated, the

.thimble'20 is inserted' in the vfemale member and is expanded in any suitable manner to force theshoulder 21 of the thimble 20 outwardly and also to force the groove 19 of the thimble 20 from the position shown in respectively, and also effectively provide-for a positive union between the female member 10, the sleeve 13, and thimble 20, preventing accidental displacement of the latter. It will thus be .seen that the thimble() of the female coupling member 10 not only cooperates with the female member to clamp the hose, but, by virtue of the groove 19 and shoulder 20, it also coperates with the coupling sleeve 13 to reinforce the annular shoulder 17 to holdl the coupling sleeve in true rotative position upon the female member 10. Hence, besides performing the function of a clamping thimble, the member 20 also performs the function of a swivel element. l It also presents its shoulder 21 to such coperative relation with the shoulder 15 of the sleeve 18 as to provide a broad p bearing surface for the gasket 16.

yThe exterior'of the sleeve 13 is provided with grooves 24 to receive a wrench or any other suitable implement (not shown) to permit of ready operation of the sleeve to draw the male and female members together or disconnect them. If preferred, the exterior of the sleeve 13 may be squared into rectangular, hexagonal or other shape for wrenching purposes in a mannerwell known in the art, and which is thought too obvious to illustrate.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the expansible thimbles taper from their inner to their outer ends, in fact, in practice they are formed almost into a knife edge and at their outer ends they are quite thin. It will also be understood 'that the expansion of these thimbles occurs preferably at their inner enlarged ends to expandthe inner ends pf the hose positions'considerably att-heir inner extremities, but only slightly at the points adjacent the outer ends of the coupling. The result is that the fibers of the hose are not broken by the expansion of the thimbles at the outer ends of the latter, and consequently weakening of the hose at the outer ends/ of the coupling is obviated. Flexible hose when laced under heavy pressure expands consi erably, and even if the hose is notweakened by 'the expansion of the thimbles, there is considerable friction and consequen't wear upon the hose `at the mouths of the couplin incident to expansion of the hose and ot er strain thereupon, and in many instances the hose eventually breaks and leaks at the mouths of the coupling. In the present instance, by virtue of" the thin outer ends of the thimbles and expansion thereof at their inner ends, and the fact that the outer ends of the male and female members are rounded, lthere is little, if any, possibility of the hose being subjected to undue wear at the mouths of the coupling incident to heavy pressure or fo other reasons.

Of course my'improved coupling is applicable to connect pipe sectionsas well as flexible hose. A

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A hose coupling comprising a male member, a female member composed of a body portion and a sleeve, the body portion of the female member having an external groove, a clamping thimble in each of said members, the thimble in the female member having a groove and also a shoulder, said sleeve havin shoulders, one shoulder for engagement in the groove of the body portion of the female member and the other shoulder for engagement lin the groove of the thimble in the female member and adapted to overlap the shoulder of the thimble.

2. A hose coupling comprising a male member, a female member composed of a body portion and a sleeve, the body portion of the female member having an external. groove, a clamping thimble in each of said members, the thimble in the female member having an annular groove and also an annular shoulder, said sleeve having annular shoulders, one shoulder for engagement in the groove of the body portion of the female member and the other shoulder for engagement inthe groove of the thimble in the female member and adapted to overlap the shoulder of the thimble in advance of the latter. l l

,3. A hose coupling comprising a male member, a female member composed of a body portion and a sleeve, the sleeve being adapted to couple said members together, 'thimbles in said members, said sleeve having swiveled engagement with one of said members and also having swiveled 'engagement with the thimble in the female member tohold said latter thimble against movement outwardly of its member.

4. A hosev coupling comprising a male member7 a female member composed of a body portion and a sleeve, the body portion of the female member having an external groove, a tapering clamping thimble in each of said members,'the thimbles tapering from their inner to theirl outer ends and the thimble in the female member having a in eachof said members, the thimb es taperoove .and also having a shoulder at its lnner end, said sleeve being .adapted to couple said members together and having shoulders, one shoulder for engagement in the groove of the body portion of the female member and its other shoulder .being adapted for engagement in the groove of the thimble in the female member and to overlap the shoulder of said thimble.

5. A hose coupling 'comprising a. male member, a female member composed of a body portion and a coupling sleeve, the'body portion of the female member having an external groove, a tapering clampin lthimble ing from their inner to their outer ends and the thimble in the female member having an annular. groove and also having an annular shoulder at its inner end, said sleeve having shoulders, one shoulder forengagement in the groove of the female member and the other shoulder for engagement inthe groove of the thimble of the female member and adapted to overlap the shoulder of said thimble. y f

6. A .hose couplingy comprising a male member, a female member composed of a body portion and a coupling sleeve, tapering thimbles in said members, said sleeve having swiveled engagement-withone of said members and also having swiveled enga-gement with one of the thimbles to hold said latter thimble against movement outwardly of its inclosng' member. Y

7. A hose coupling comprising aV hollow male member whose interlor is of greater width in cross section at its outer end than ,at its inner end to provide a shoulder inter-1, mediate its ends, the enlarged interior por-` Y tion of-said male member being tapered, a` thimble disposed in the enlarged interior portion of the male member and whose exterior is tapered for lcoperation withthe tapering surface of the enlarged interior 4portion of the male member to clamp `the hose section between the male member and the thimble with its extremity in/ engagement with said shoulder, the inner end of the male member being externally screw threaded, a female member composed of a body portion and a sleeve, the lnterior of thebody portion ofthe female member being tapered and its exteriorl provided with an annular roove, a thimble whose exterior is tapered or coperation withthe tapering surface of the body portion of the fevmale member toclampthe hose section between them, said latter thimble having an annular groove and a shoulder at its inner end, said sleeve having va portion of lits interior screw threaded for coperation with v the vscrew threaded portion of the male memfemale member and adapted to overlap the shoulder of said latter thimble', said sleeve also having another shoulder adjacent the shoulder of the thimble of the female mem- 7 ber, and a asket disposed against said two latter shou ders for engagementy with the Y inner end of the female member when the male and female members are coupled together, the outer ends of the male and fe- 8 mal members being rounded. 8. A hose coupling comprising a male member, a female member composed of a body portion and a sleeve, a thimble in each V member said sleeve having interlockin vens gagement with the female member. an thel thimble therein and\adapted to couple said members together, and expansible thimbles for said members to clamp the hose between u them and the members. 9 9. A hose Vcoupling comprising a male lmember, fa female member composed' of a body -portion and a sleeve, a thimble'in each member, said sleeve `having rotative interlocking engagement with the female mem- 9 ber and also with the thimble in the female member whereby thesleeve may be rotated and whereby the thimble of the female member is held against accidental displacement.

10. A hose coupling comprising a male 1 member having an internal tapering portion pansible thimble in the male mem er to co- ',operate with the tapering portion of the latter to clamp the hose in the male mem- 1 ber against the shoulder of the latter, and a female member com osed of a body portion and a sleeve, the ody portion havin .a tapering interior, `a tapering expansible thlmble for engagement in the body portion 1 of the female member for coperation with the tapering portion of the latter to clamp the hose Vbetween them, said sleeves being adapted to couple the members together and' having interlocking rotative 1 engagement 1 with the body portion of the female member yandl also with the thimble in the female .memben 11. Avhose coupling comprising a male member having an internal tapering portion 1 and also an internal shoulder, a tapering land also an internal shoulder, a ta ering'exthimble in the male member coperating with the tapering portion of the latter to clamp the hose in the male member against the shoulder of the latter, a female member 1 composed of a body portion and a sleeve,

said body portion having aftapering inlterior, a tapering thimble engaglng in the lbody portlon of the female member co eratlng with the tapering portion of Asald 1 male and female members being rounded and the outer ends of said thimbles being reduced almost to a knife edge, with the knife edges thereof disposed adjacentthe rounded ends of saidmembers, and a gasket disposed against the inner end of the thimble of the female member for engagement with the inner end of the male member when Said members are coupled together.

12. A hose coupling comprising coupling members, one of said coupling members being composed of av body portion and a coupling sleeve, and an expansible thimble for each couplmg member, one of the thimbles being expansible into swiveled engagement with said sleeve.

13. A hose coupling comprising coupling members, ,one ofsaid members being composed of a body portion and a coupling sleeve, a tapering expansible thimble for each member, one of the thimbles being eX- pansible into swiveled engagement with said sleeve, said sleeve also having swiveled engagement with one of the members.

14.-. A 'hose coupling comprising a male member provided with an internal shoulder, a thimble in the male member to clamp the hose. therein, a female'member composed of portion having its interior tapered, a thimble 1n said body portion with its 4exterior ta-Y pered and provided at` its inner end with a shoulder and a groove adjacent the shoulder, said body portion also" having an external groove, said sleeve having shoulders, one shoulder engaging in the groove of said hollow member and the other shoulder engaging in the groove of the thimble and overlapping the shoulder of the latter.

16. As an article of manufacturaa coupling member for hose composed of a body portion and a coupling sleeve, said sleeve aving swiveled engagement with said body portion, and a thimble in said coupling member for swiveled engagement with said sleeve. In testimony whereof l aliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses. JOHN HALL STEPHENS.

A Witnesses: l

JOHN H. SIGGERS,

GEO. C. SHOEMAKER. 

